It's the Adventure of the Blue Rider at the Musée de l'Orangerie, in Paris

Strategically located nearby the Louvre, overlooking the Place de la Concorde, and across from the Seine, the National Museum of the Orangerie, is not the most visited venue in Paris. As its name indicates, this Second Empire building, with a window-pane facade to catch the light and heat from the sun, was built by Napoléon III in order to shelter the oranges of the Palais des Tuileries gardens in winter.

The new adventure of the Musée de l'Orangerie, in Paris

Yet it hosts major exhibitions, such as the Adventure of the Blue Rider, featuring two major figures of German expressionnism, Franz Marc and August Macke. These painters from the 19th and early 20th century were interested in French art, and particularly in Cézanne, Van Gogh, Gauguin and the Fauvism movement, discovered while they were visiting France.

The Yellow Cow was happily enjoying her field when she was captured by the painter's brush. © DR

Exceptionally presented at the beginning of the 20th century, this group of monkeys surprised visitors. © DR

Presenting the European avant-garde

From the 6th of March to the 17th of June 2019, you will be able to discover their paintings created outdoors in order to privilege the exchanges between man and nature. Amongst these works, certain are unfinished, due to their mobilisation during the first world war conflict, but symbolic of the hedonistic movement privileging the research of pleasure. You can also give yourself pleasure in front of these rare pieces…

Lent by the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, in Madrid, The Dream expresses a desire of convergence between man and the animal world. © DR